


Chlorine and coffee

by Joshlerxox



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-11-11
Packaged: 2018-08-19 18:32:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8220755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joshlerxox/pseuds/Joshlerxox
Summary: Lapis is just your average, angsty, blue-haired punk teen who works at the local coffee shop. Peri is just your average, green-haired, alien-obsessed science fanatic studying at college. When the two meet, just a bunch of average, super-gay adventures ensue. Just normal stuff, obviously. The usual.





	1. That one annoying green-haired vegan

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to my loser fren Robin :^)

It was 3:30pm. Lapis Lazuli had exactly twenty-nine minutes and forty-two seconds left of her shift at Starbucks (not that she was counting or anything). It was quiet, and she prayed it would stay that way, clinging to the hope that her boss Jasper may be feeling nice and let her leave early.  
But the blue-haired girl was to have no such luck. A gust of wind rushed in the door suddenly, and Lapis clenched her fists and sighed. Another customer; another lousy order to take.

  
“Hi there, welcome to Starbucks, what can I get for you?” Lapis didn’t even bother to force a smile, or bring her eyes up to meet the other’s. The customer either didn’t notice, or didn’t care, as she failed to falter as she began ordering.

  
“Hi, I’ll have a vanilla and lime latte with three shots of expresso. Vegan. To go. Oh, and hurry, I’m running late, I have an essay that I must submit.”

  
Lapis finally glanced up at the short girl standing in front of her. She had pale, freckled skin, and a mess of windswept blonde hair with green streaks, tufting all over the place. Thick-rimmed glasses adorned her face, balancing on her small pointy nose and hiding her wide, blinking, hazel eyes.

  
“Vegan?” is all Lapis could say, sighing and going to reach for the coffee pot.

  
“Yes, vegan. I can’t have cow’s milk.” The short girl looked at Lapis as though she were the biggest idiot she’d ever come across in her life.

  
“Well what can you have?” Lapis questioned, raising an eyebrow.

  
“Soy milk, preferably.” The teen glared.

  
“We’re all out.” Lapis glared back.

  
“Almond milk?” The green-haired girl suggested.

  
“Nope.”

  
“Coconut water?”

  
“Don’t serve that.”

  
“Well that what can I possibly have in my latte?!” The girl cried, leaning over the counter and flailing her arms angrily, face burning red.

  
Lapis shrugged. “I dunno, water?”

  
“WATER!?” the girl screeched, stomping a foot on the ground childishly. “That’s it! I demand to speak to your manager! AT ONCE!”

  
“Woah, what’s going on here?” Jasper appeared suddenly, rubbing her eyes groggily. Lapis knew she had most likely been sleeping, it was what she did a lot.

 

“Your employee is refusing to make my vegan latte! I’m in a serious rush, can someone please just make something for me!?” Peridot huffed.

  
“Lazuli, what’s the issue? We have soy milk in the back, you know that.” Jasper sighed, giving the angered customer an apologetic look.

  
“Oh. Sorry, guess I forgot.” Lapis gave the two a blank stare, before heading round back to retrieve the highly sought after soy milk.

  
“What kind of vegan goes to Starbucks anyway?” she muttered angrily to herself, rummaging through cupboards in search of the milk.

  
“Sorry about that.” Jasper bared her teeth in some sort of smile at the shorter girl. “Your latte will be right with you, Miss…”

  
“Peri. My name’s Peri. Peri Dot. Remember it, because one day I’m going to be a world-famous astronomer, I might even be the first girl on the moon! Or the first person to discover intelligent lifeforms on another planet. Or maybe both, I haven’t decided yet.” Peri said matter-of-factly.”

  
“Oh. Uhm, right.” Jasper glanced around awkwardly.

  
“Here’s your drink, M’am.” Lapis appeared in the nick of time, handing Peri her coffee. “Thank you, please don’t come again.” She muttered.

  
Peri took the coffee, face forming a scowl as she held the lukewarm paper cup in her pale hands. “Thanks.” She groaned, rummaging around in her backpack for her purse.  
Her backpack was black with small white stars all over it, and a few alien patches sewn on. A scattering of badges also adorned the bag, including a large “I WANT TO BELIEVE” one. Lapis rolled her eyes at how dorky this girl clearly was.

  
After emptying out nearly the entire contents of her bag, Peri finally found her purse and paid for the coffee, rushing out the door without getting her change or receipt.  
“What a weirdo.” Jasper shook her head as she watched the green-haired teen stomp out of the door, after pulling on it for several moments before finally realizing it was to be pushed.

  
“You’re telling me.” Lapis grumbled, running a hand through her short, messy hair. “Can I go home now?” she turned to Jasper with a pleading expression, widening her ridiculously blue, dark eyes.

  
“Sure, once you’ve cleaned up.” Jasper agreed. “Here.” She tossed some keys at Lapis. “You can lock up, I gotta hit the gym.”

  
Jasper retrieved her belongings and left with a small wave, already dressed in her way-too-revealing work-out clothes.

  
Lapis sighed, wetting a cloth and beginning to wipe down the sticky tables. She noticed something lying abandoned at the front counter, and took it curiously in her hands.  
It was a scruffy black note book, with sparkly silver stars stuck all over it. On the front, written in messy, smudged writing was: PERI DOT, PHYSICS, CLASS 7B. A few alien heads were also crudely drawn around it in white-out.

  
Lapis let out a quiet noise of disgust. She knew exactly who’s book it was. She considered just tossing it in the lost property box and going back to her cleaning, but inside her, a small twang of guilt had formed. Hadn’t the green haired girl said something about having to submit an essay? What if it was in that notebook? She knew it was unlikely, but she felt it couldn’t be risked.

  
She locked up the shop and hopped on her bike, it was blue and rusty and old, but it was reliable and it had a cute little basket on the front for putting stuff in. She cycled up the road to the college, her work was deliberately placed right next to it. Their best customers were all anxious students craving coffee and free Wi-Fi.  
She left her bike leaning against the wall, and headed towards the entrance of the college, glancing around at the few students who were standing outside, huddled in small groups, smoking or chatting. She clutched the notebook to her chest, approaching a teenage girl nervously.

  
“Excuse me, do you know where Physics classroom 7B is?” she forced herself to sound confident in front of the tall, slender stranger.

  
“Oh why yes, I happen to be in that classroom actually. Are you joining our class? I don’t recall seeing you around before.” The girl smiled slightly at Lapis.

  
Lapis shook her head. “Oh, n-no, I don’t go here…” she started. “I work at the coffee shop just down the street though, and someone left their notebook. I just came to give it back to them.” She explained.

  
The girl, who’s skin was soft and pale, like a pearl, took the notebook and examined it closely. “Oh, this is Peri’s. She’s in my class. I’ll give it to her tomorrow. Thank you for bringing this back, she’ll be so relieved I’m sure.” The girl smiled gratefully.

  
“Uh, I thought maybe it’d be best if I handed it in myself. Just to be sure, you know?” Lapis looked at the ground awkwardly, avoiding trying to sound too desperate.

  
She didn’t know why she wanted to run into the green-haired girl again so badly, she just felt like she hadn’t had enough time to examine her. She wasn’t finished counting her flaws, or seeing just how blindingly dorky she was, and she definitely hadn’t made enough snarky comments about her under her breath. She felt drawn to Peri, like a mouse drawn to a piece of cheese in a trap.

  
The tall girl looked surprised, but shrugged nonchalantly none the less. “Sure, okay.” She said. “I’ll take you up there. I’m waiting on my friend anyway and she won’t be finished for a while, I have nothing else to do.”

  
Lapis nodded gratefully, following the girl into the college and along the halls.

“My name’s Pearl, by the way.” The girl turned to smile at Lapis.

  
“Oh. I’m Lapis.” She looked around awkwardly, already feeling somewhat uncomfortable. “So…what’s this Peri girl like then?” she dared question, as the pair began climbing some stairs that seemed endless.

  
“Oh, her…” Pearl pulled a face that could only be explained as repressed disgust. “She’s…nice, I suppose.” She shrugged. “A bit full on if you ask me, totally crazy, not really my cup of tea, if I’m honest.” Pearl spoke in an almost hushed whisper, glancing around suspiciously as though people were listening.

  
“Totally crazy?” Lapis regretted to admit feeling slightly intrigued.

  
“Well, yes! She has all these conspiracy theories and ideas, completely crazy and improbable! She gets so obsessed and worked up over things, and never lets anyone else speak out in class, it’s always just her shouting away, trying to convince people of ridiculous ideas…”

  
Pearl looked almost guilty, as if she had said something she shouldn’t have. She shook her head quickly. “Anyway, I don’t know what I’m telling you all this for. It’s not like you’ll ever have to see her again. Unlike me, who’s got a another whole year with her.” She sighed. “Well, anyway, we’re here.” She stopped outside a classroom door marked ‘7B’.

  
“Thanks.” Lapis gave Pearl a grateful smile, knocking on the door quietly before slowly prising the door open and glancing inside.

  
The classroom was empty, bar two people at the front of the room. An old man, presumably the teacher, and a short, green haired girl….

  
It was Peri, and, unsurprisingly, she was shouting and pleading with the teacher over something, waving her arms about desperately and stomping her feet rather pathetically.

  
“Please sir, you don’t understand!” she was crying. “I swear I had the essay in my bag! I’m not lying, I promise! Look, maybe if you just let me check one more time…” she began rummaging through her oversized backpack once more, completely oblivious to Lapis’ presence.

  
“Yes, may I help you?” the teacher raised an eyebrow at Lapis, as she quietly approached his desk. Peri snapped up, eyes burning into Lapis’ suddenly.

  
“Y-you! What are you doing here?!” Peri squawked.

  
“You left this back at Starbucks. I think this belongs to you.”

  
Lapis handed Peri the sparkly notebook, giving her a weird, shaky kind of smile.

  
Peri gasped, eyes widening. “My notebook! This is what I wrote my essay in! Sir, it’s here! I told you I’d done it!” she quickly handed it to the professor, who flicked through it quickly and nodded, satisfied.

  
“Good work Peri, I’m sorry for doubting you. You’re just lucky your friend was here to help you out.” He said with a bemused expression on his face.

  
Peri nodded, relieved, looking to Lapis with a look of complete and utter amazement. “You saved my life!” she breathed, gathering her bag and heading for the door. “Bye sir!” she shouted at the professor, pushing the door open and holding it for Lapis.

  
Lapis shrugged nonchalantly, as though it were no big deal. “Eh, it’s cool. I was in the area anyway.” She explained.

  
“But still, after the way I treated you at the coffee shop…I’m forever in your debt, Miss…”

  
“Lapis. Lapis Lazuli.” Lapis put a pale, slender hand out for Peri to shake. “Don’t mention it. Like I said, it’s cool.”

  
“More like YOU’RE cool!” Peri grinned, dancing around Lapis with the cheesiest smile plastered on her face. “You’re like, a real life super hero, crashing into the classroom at the last second with my essay! You saved the day!”

  
Lapis stifled a laugh, finding the girl’s behavior both amusing and slightly crazy. “Thank your classmate Pearl, it was her who took me up here. I would never have found it on my own.” She admitted.

  
Peri wrinkled her nose. “Pearl?” she sounded rather surprised, but shrugged. “I’ll have to thank her properly tomorrow.”

The pair walked down the stairs in an awkward silence, Peri jumping down them two, sometimes three at a time, like an eager monkey.

“I like your jacket.” Peri observed, putting a hand out to touch Lapis’ black leather jacket.

“Oh, thanks.” Lapis blushed, wanting nothing more than to curl up inside it and hide. “My cousin Steven gave me it.” She explained.

“It’s not real leather, right?” Peri scowled.

“Oh. Uhm, I don’t know. I don’t think so?” she ran her hand over the plastic-like material. “It doesn’t feel like it.”

Peri breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, good. Well then, that settles it. You’re officially the coolest person ever. Do you wanna be friends?” Peri’s eyes widened hopefully.

“Friends?” Lapis froze. She didn’t have any friends, unless you counted Steven, who was her cousin, so did that really count? Jasper didn’t really count as her friend either, she was an ex, and the two had severely drifted apart over time anyway. “I don’t really do friends.” She admitted finally.

Peri looked disappointed. “Nonsense! Everyone has friends! I have tonnes! I gotta introduce you to them all some time!” she did not sound as though she were joking, though Lapis felt somewhat sceptical about Peri’s “tonnes of friends”.

“Maybe we could be…acquaintances.” Lapis offered. “Do you like swimming?”

“Swimming…?” Peri frowned, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

“Yeah. I have swim practice tomorrow, I’m part of the local team. Come watch if you want, you can buy me coffee after.” She smiled.

“Oh! Like…a date?!” Peri gasped, face burning red.

Lapis’ eyes widened, she hadn’t been expecting that. She didn’t want to go on a date with the green-haired loser, did she? She looked at the short girl, wearing a ridiculously oversized sweater with a badly sewn-on alien face, and the green glitter smeared on her eyelids. She was certainly different from her usual type, aka, the Jaspers of the world, but she figured she had nothing to lose.

“Sure.” She shrugged, acting as though she couldn’t care less, when inside she was a nervous wreck of butterflies and heartbeats. “I’ll see you tomorrow then? Wait, give me your hand.” She took Peri’s hand and scrawled out her number on the back of it quickly. Peri stared at her hand, then back up at Lapis, looking completely bewildered, like a deer caught in headlights.

“L…later…” Peri breathed, watching as Lapis turned and walked out the door, blue hair flowing behind her in the wind. She looked at her hand once more, taking in the digits that were written upon it.

She couldn’t wait to go home and write about it in her blog.


	2. Not like those swimming animes

Peri stood outside the door of the local swimming pool anxiously, looking at her watch impatiently. She was exactly twenty-three minutes early, but she didn't want to risk being late. She was wearing a green dress that clung awkwardly to her lanky body, matching her tattered green converse and striped green knee socks. Her hair was pushed back out of her face, clipped back in certain areas in a way that would remind one of a fluffy dog wearing bows in its hair after coming back from the groomers.

The blonde-haired girl immediately regretted her decision to actually make an effort, however, as she watched Lapis approach her from across the road. Her hair was scraped back, she had no makeup on and was wearing simply her swimsuit tucked in to yoga pants, and old running trainers on. 

"'Sup." Lapis said, eyeing Peri up and down. "Why're you all dressed up? You're just here to watch me and some other losers swim." 

Peri shrugged awkwardly. "You said we were going for coffee afterwards." She explained.

Lapis smiled and rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She sighed, taking Peri's arm and dragging her inside.

"Hey Lazuli!" A group of young boys grinned and waved at Lapis as they entered the building. Lapis simply smiled and waved back, continuing on.

"Lapis! Hey girl!" A group of preppy teenaged girls giggled and waved at Lapis as she and Peri walked past. Again, Lapis offered only a small smile.

"Woah, you sure do know everyone here." Peri remarked, gazing around the bustling sports centre in awe. 

Lapis shrugged. "Eh, I'm here all the time, that's why. Plus, in the summer I work as a lifeguard here." 

Peri made a small noise, clearly impressed.

"Okay, so the seating area is just through those doors, I gotta go get changed then I'll be out okay?" Lapis pointed towards some old wooden doors. 

Peri nodded, heading for the doors reluctantly when she was suddenly stopped by Lapis.

"Uh..promise you won't get bored and bail on me?" She spoke quietly, eyes blinking nervously. 

Peri frowned, before bursting into laughter. "Me? Get bored? Please! I've sat through multiple lectures on advance quantum physics, as well as long drawn out school plays about magical fairies and pirates, I'm sure I can survive watching you swim for a while!" 

"Plus, how could anyone get bored of watching that hot body getting all wet and wild for an hour..." she thought to herself, feeling her face burn red.

"Okay, if you're sure...thanks." Lapis gave her a small half-smile before darting into the changing rooms. 

Peridot made herself comfortable on the benches in front of the pool, taking out her flask of coffee and sipping on it absent-mindedly. Staying hydrated and caffeinated was highly important to her. 

She took out a small book from her bag and began reading, remaining in a peaceful silence for a while before she heard clumsy footsteps rushing towards the pool. She looked up and saw a bunch of boys, probably only a few years younger than her, clad in only tight swim shorts, racing towards the pool. They clocked her almost immediately (I mean, she was pretty hard to miss, she was greener than a field of cucumbers) and began wolf whistling and blowing kisses at her, wiggling their eyebrows suggestively.

Peri just rolled her eyes, giving them a knowing look and contemplating sticking her tongue out at them. She sighed sadly, wondering why the boys here weren't like the ones in the swimming anime she watched. 

Gradually more people began creeping out, and soon the pool was bustling with youngsters ready to begin training. Lapis was last out, and Peridot felt her jaw drop as she watched Lazuli walk gracefully towards the water, long pale legs stepping delicately onto the wet tiles. She had a swimmers body, tight legs and arms, a sculpted body, not an inch of body fat in site. She lacked noticeable breasts, Peri observed, but certainly made up for it with her behind. She had the best butt Peri had ever seen. 

Lapis caught peri staring and waved awkwardly at her, giving her another one of her weird half-smiles before jumping into the pool gracefully, like a mermaid or a dolphin. 

A coach finally appeared and began running over exercises with them, telling who to go where and what they should be doing. Peri watched in awe, fascinated by the fluent movements of the people in the water. Even the immature young boys moved with grace and style, darting through the water like penguins catching fish. She watched them all for at least an hour, but found herself growing impatient as the practicing seemed to go on for much longer than that.

She took out her sketch book and began doodling. She drew a talk, slender figure, with giant, sparkly eyes and a freckled button nose. She found a blue highlighter hidden at the very bottom of her bag, and couldn't help but use it to colour in her drawing. 

Suddenly, drops of cold water splashed down onto the pages, and Peri looked up to see Lapis watching her, eyes wide with curiosity. 

Peri snapped the book shut quickly, leaping up from her seat on the bench. 

"You smell of chlorine." She remarked, averting her gaze from Lapis' small, perky breasts. The top of her swimsuit was down far too low, almost as if she wanted to accidentally flash someone.

"Yeah, and you smell of coffee. At least I get to shower." Lapis shrugged, heading for the locker rooms. "That's us finished now, I'll meet you outside in ten." Lapis said, flashing Peri a small smile.

"....sure.." Peri said, heading outside. The damp smell of sweat and chlorine was finally starting to get to her.

She stood outside with two piping hot cups of coffee, watching and waiting for Lapis to appear. Finally Lapis showed up, hair damp and curled slightly, a baggy hoodie covering her slender frame. In her hands were two paper cups of coffee.

"O-oh!" She giggled, seeing Peri's two coffees. "Looks like we both had the same idea."

"What? I, uh, n-no! These are both for me!" She began sipping from one desperately, feeling her face burning red. "I sure do love me some coffee!" 

"...but, doesn't one of them have milk in it? It says so on the side." Lapis pointed to one of Peri's cups. "I thought you were a vegan."

"G-gah!" Peri cried, spitting out the hot liquid suddenly, rubbing her tongue desperately. She'd fucked up big time.

"Dude, chill." Lapis rolled her eyes, taking one of the cups from Peri's hand and swapping it for one in her own hand. "There. Now you can have your two lame soy milk lattes and I'll have the real coffee." She smiled.

Peri looked at her in mild amazement. She wasn't used to being around anyone this calm, or down to earth, or genuinely intelligent when it came to things other than chemical equations and the formulas of triangles. 

"You wanna go sit in a park or something? I don't wanna run into my ex around here, she usually comes around this time to hit the gym." Lapis muttered in annoyance.

Peri nodded. "O-oh yeah, of course, sure!" She began walking hurriedly besides Lapis. "So you're...into guys who exercise?" She felt herself deflate somewhat at even asking such a meagre question.

Lapis laughed, and her eyes scrunched at the corners in what should have been an illegally adorable way. 

"Heh, no." She smirked. "My ex isn't a guy. Her name's Jasper." 

"Jasper??" Peri said in a small voice. "J-Jasper Quartz..?"

"Hey, yeah, that's her! How do you know her?" Lapis asked curiously.

"....she's my room mate."


End file.
